Bangkok Glass keep Thai fans on edge as the country returns to Club World Championship after a three-year absence.
Manila, Philippines, October 14, 2016 – Reigning Thai champions Bangkok Glass are set to leave their mark in their first-ever appearance at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship, beginning here on Tuesday. Thailand is officially back at the most prestigious tournament in women's club volleyball.
After having missed out on the last three holdings of the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championships, Thai volleyball fans can look forward to the performance of double national champs Bangkok Glass in the race for the most coveted trophy in international club volleyball.
And it is going to be a special debut for the team from Thailand's capital Bangkok – most of all since Kittipong Pornchartyingcheep's squad have been riding the wave of success not only in their domestic league, but also at international level over the last two years.
After the founding of the club in 2014, Bangkok Glass claimed both titles in the Thai League and in Thai-Denmark Super League in 2015 and 2016 as well as the crown of the AVC Club Championship and consequently the ticket to the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship in their first-ever appearance at an international tournament last year.
The shining star of the Thai champions is captain Pleumjit Thinkaow. The Thai national team player has made a name for herself in international women's volleyball and has become one of the biggest idols of young Thai volleyball fans over the last decade.
The middle blocker is the most experienced player in the roster of the very aspiring team from Bangkok and the most capped in Thailand too.
Pleumjit has led her home-country to the world-elite of international women’s Volleyball over the last years and is willing to do everything in her power to do the same with Bangkok Glass.
But Bangkok's dreams of glory in their debut at the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship do not just rely on the middle blocker.
Wing spiker Wilavan Apinyapong and setter Pornpun Guedpard too have become important cornerstones of Bangkok Glass’ very fast and agile offensive and defensive game and bring a lot of international experience from the Thai national team to the aspiring team from Bangkok.
At the 2016 AVC Asian Club Championship last month, however, the Thai powerhouse had to suffer their first big setback in the still young history of the club.
The then defending champs of the AVC Club Championship crown could not fulfil their dreams of back-to-back titles at Asia's premier competition in club volleyball as they eventually fell to NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki of Japan in a heart-stopping five-setter in the semis.
Now the side from Bangkok are looking for redemption at the 2016 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship in Manila.
But a herculean task awaits Bangkok Glass at the most prestigious tournament in international club volleyball.
The Thais are going to have their debut at the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship against multiple Swiss champs Volero Zürich at 13:00 Manila time on the opening day, 18 October.
Afterwards, Pornchartyingcheep's squad are going to face Japanese Hisamitsu Springs Kobe at 22:00 on 20 October. This second pool game will also be the rematch of the 2015 AVC Club Championship gold medal game, when the Thais overcame the Japanese champions 3-2 in a sensational five-setter.
In the last pool game, Bangkok Glass are going to play reigning Turkish champs VakifBank Istanbul at 16:00 on 21 October.